NYU hosts more international students than any other school in the country
USC is a close second
According to the Los Angeles Times, the number of international students matriculating into American universities surpassed one million last year, an unprecedented high.
While NYU remains top of the list in terms of globalisation, the state whose universities cumulatively boast the most international students is California, with the University of Southern California hosting 13,340 in total, closely followed by UCLA with 11,513, which demonstrated 10.5% rise from the year before.
But don’t worry Violets/Bobcats (who really knows?). While California hosts the most international students as a state, NYU welcomes 15,543 international students – the highest in the country – while our neighbors uptown at Columbia host 12,740.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, Peggy Blumenthal, a senior counselor at the Institute of International Education, stressed that study abroad programs “helps strengthen global relations,” and that “the more other countries understand our country, the more experience they will have in the United States, the better we will be able to work with them diplomatically, economically and strategically.”
The already keen interest in the rest of the world’s rapport with the United States will undoubtedly grow exponentially as we near President-elect Trump’s inauguration next January; his controversial and often vitriolic rhetoric leaving many wondering how he will approach trade deals and agreements with foreign powers. Blumenthal’s comments about creating bonds with other countries, starting with higher education, thus appear all the more timely. She did address how such rhetoric may leave students from other countries hesitant to come to the U.S., but overall remained hopeful.
“Yes, there’s a lot of concern right now, and international students are feeling very worried,” said Blumenthal. “But if history is any predictor, I would be optimistic that the total numbers are not going to shift dramatically.”
Blumenthal also emphasized the importance of sending American students on study abroad programs, stating that while 275,000 students partake in such programs (about 10% of all U.S. undergraduates), the number is still far too low, considering how many modern careers require international experience, and that “opportunities to study abroad…also have to be made more broadly accessible.”
Featured photo courtesy of International Business Times